According to news reports about the case – which is part of a broader lawsuit that involves as many as 60 total plaintiffs – was brought on by the surviving family members of Jackie Fox, a woman from Alabama who had reportedly used Johnson’s Baby Powder as a feminine hygiene product for decades.

The plaintiffs are arguing that Johnson & Johnson knew – or should have known, at the very least – that there is an increased risk of ovarian cancer in women who use its talcum powder products for personal hygiene. The company explicitly marketed the products as being safe and effective for female hygiene use.

Damaging Memo Surfaces in Lawsuit

At the center of compelling evidence in these cases is a memo written by a medical consultant in 1997 to officials at Johnson & Johnson. The memo, which is now nearly 20 years old, stated that anyone – including J&J officials – who denies a connection between talcum powder and the development of ovarian cancer is “denying the obvious in the face of all evidence to the contrary.”

This is not the first time that a potential link between various forms of cancer and talcum powder has been discovered, however. In the late 1960s, a series of studies found the presence of talcum powder and asbestos in the ovaries of woman with ovarian cancer. Asbestos has since been banned from production in the U.S., but talcum powder has not received the same treatment.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), talc is officially classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” while the American Cancer Society says data on the subject is inconclusive.

The verdict, which is likely to be appealed, included $10 million in "actual damages" and an additional $62 million in punitive damages against Johnson & Johnson.

Be the first to comment!

Post a Comment

Name *

Email *

Join the Discussion

Notify me of follow-up comments via email.

Free Legal Consultation

FREE Case Review

Fill out this confidential form or call Davis Law Group at 206-727-4000.

Name *

Phone *

Email *

Please Tell Us About Your Case *

Terms and Conditions

I agree that my phone number and email address may be used to contact me. *

*Davis Law Group has been named Best Injury Law Firmin Washington State by AI Legal Awards andBest Personal Injury Law Firm in Washington State by AI Dispute Resolution Awards both awarded by AI Global Media, publishers of Acquisition International Magazine.

No Attorney-Client Relationship Created by Use of this Website or Associated Forms: There is no attorney-client relationship unless the attorney and the client sign a written fee agreement. This website contains information about the laws impacting injury and wrongful death laws in Washington State. But, legal information is not the same as legal advice (which involves applying laws to particular individuals and organizations and their particular circumstances). Your receipt of information from this website, or your Case Submit or contact with Davis Law Group, P.S., or one of its attorneys or staff, DOES NOT create an attorney-client relationship between you and Davis Law Group. This means Davis Law Group, P.S. is not acting as your attorney unless or until a written fee agreement is signed by the client and the attorney. Although we will review your information and evaluate your potential claim, this does not mean that we have or will agree to represent you. As a matter of policy, Davis Law Group does not accept a new client without first investigating possible conflicts of interests and obtaining a signed contingent fee agreement. Put simply, we are not your law firm until and unless we a-) agree to accept your case; and b-) you formally engage our services by signing a written fee agreement as required by the attorney ethics rules for Washington State.